


A Heat-Seeking Cuddle Octopus

by Jade_Dragoness



Category: Naruto
Genre: Cold Weather, Community: trope_bingo, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Oblivious, Trope Bingo Amnesty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 20:30:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5599798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jade_Dragoness/pseuds/Jade_Dragoness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't that Iruka wasn't willing to share a tent with his squad leader. It's just that he wished that Kakashi wasn't such a cuddle-octopus in his sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Heat-Seeking Cuddle Octopus

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Trope Bingo Round 5 Amnesty.

“Iruka, you're fine sharing with Kakashi, right?” Izumo said with a crazed grin, grabbing Kotetsu. “I'm sticking with Kotetsu from now on.”

“What?” Iruka said, startled. “Wait! Izumo!” But Izumo was already dragging Kotetsu into the tent.

“So, we're sharing.”

The only reason that Iruka didn't jump at how suddenly Kakashi appeared at his side was because he'd grown used entirely to used to the other man sneaking up on him. For some reason, known only to Kakashi, the jonin had kept trying to startle him since the mission had been assigned to them. Iruka would never admit it, but he'd become far too used to the other man standing well into his personal space. He'd only reflexively tried to attack the first couple of days before he managed to suppress that instinctive reaction which, in retrospect, made him wish that he hadn't bothered. It wasn't like he ever got close to hitting Kakashi and now his sense of self-defense was well and truly messed up. At least where Kakashi was concerned; Iruka also had to fight off the nagging worry that a clever enemy could blow past his defenses with a really good henge if they figured out this new weakness.

But even more disturbingly, the lack of attacks only seemed to encourage Kakashi to stand even _closer_ than before.

Iruka had just ignored him, hoping his uncaring reaction would get through to the other man that this intimidation tactic Kakashi was using wasn't going to work. He'd had enough annoyed jonin-ranked parents trying to pull such tricks when their child came home with a bad grade for Iruka to have long ago grown immune. Although he did wonder what in the world he had _done _to tick the other man off. Kakashi couldn't possibly be holding a grudge from Naruto's chunin exam. It'd been more than a year ago!__

__Fortunately, Iruka wouldn't have to tolerate Kakashi's antics for too long. Their bodyguard A-rank mission in the Land of Frost was over and had ended successfully. The team hadn't even collected any worse injuries than some minor cuts and bruises from fighting off the ninja hired to kill their client. Now it was just a matter of getting back to Konoha in one piece. First though, they had to endure about three days travel, maybe more depending on how bad the weather got, through the Land of Frost during some of the coldest nights of the year._ _

__Iruka sighed, his breath puffing out in a pale white cloud of condensation. “I guess we are,” Iruka admitted to his squad leader._ _

__Kakashi smiled, or at least, his visible eye curved in delight, which Iruka wasn't inclined to take it as sincere considering how well-hidden the rest of his face was, or how Kakashi's body language came across as as indifferent even through the thick winter coat he wore._ _

__“Well, I guess we're taking first watch,” Iruka said, eying the closed tent flap where Izumo and Kotetsu had disappeared with budding envy. With the sun now setting the ambient temperature began dropping sharply._ _

__“And they didn't even wait for me to give the order,” Kakashi said, sounding faintly offended._ _

__Iruka tilted his head. “Where do you want me, captain?”_ _

__Kakashi's visible eye blinked and Iruka could practically see the perverted respond forming. “Well, since you asked nicely, I want--”_ _

__“How about I take north and west?” Iruka interrupted, and leaped away before Kakashi could finish responding._ _

__“Maa... does no one wait to accept orders anymore?” Iruka heard Kakashi complain softly before he was too far out of range to hear anything more unless he'd been willing to use chakra._ _

__*-*-*-*_ _

__Iruka entered the tent which Izumo and Kotetsu had vacated to take over the second half of the guard shift. Although still cold, it felt pleasantly warm inside in contrast to the freezing temperature of the winter night. The winter coat, and his control of his fire affinity had done a great job at keeping him from freezing, but Iruka appreciated being out of the biting wind-chill, especially since it started snowing an hour ago. He didn't envy Izumo or Kotetsu for having to deal with it during their shift._ _

__Iruka blinked at the sight of Kakashi, already huddled under the cover of his bedroll. He couldn't sense if the man was actually asleep or merely pretending, considering how good he was at masking his presence, yet either way Kakashi looked like he was still feeling the cold. He was curled up on himself until he made a tight lump. Even as crazy as the other man had been making him Iruka couldn't help but feel sympathy tugging at his heartstrings at Kakashi's visible misery._ _

__Iruka summoned out the thickest blanket he had in his supply scroll, shaking it out before draping it over the other man. He hoped the additional insulation would be able help Kakashi warm up faster. Iruka's own fire-affinity should keep him warm enough to get enough sleep, even with just the coat and his thinner summer blanket as a cover, although he'd have to be careful in monitoring his chakra reserves. If he kept up that trick for too many days in a row he could find himself unexpectedly running on empty._ _

__As Iruka prepped for sleep, stripping off his flack vest but keeping it close at hand, he wondered absently if Izumo's complaints about their squad leader being terrible to share a tent with had been right. At the moment, Kakashi didn't look like he was going to move an inch let alone be as bothersome as Iruka's fellow chunin kept insisting he was. Now if Izumo had ever shared a tent with Naruto, then he could complain. At least, Kakashi was quiet and didn't snore fit to wake the dead._ _

__Mentally shrugging Iruka crawled into his own bedroll and promptly fell into the light doze typical of a shinobi away from the safety of their village, just deep enough to dream but not so much that an enemy attack would catch him off-guard._ _

__*-*-*-*_ _

__Iruka blinked up at the ceiling of a Konoha style travel tent, absently wondering both why he felt so heavy and why he was awake as he didn't sense the presence of any strangers, or incoming danger._ _

__“Hmm.”_ _

__Iruka stiffened at the hum which came from the direction of his chest. His eyes widened at the sight of a mop of messy gray-silver hair, which peeked out of from under the blanket covering them both._ _

__“Hmm,” Kakashi hummed again, sounding content._ _

__“Kakashi-sensei,” Iruka hissed, disconcerted that the man had gotten into _his_ bedroll without waking him. Yes, Kakashi was a jonin with skills above practically everyone in Konoha but this was just ridiculous. “Wake up.”_ _

__Kakashi's arms around Iruka tightened, and he huddled in closer, making a muffled unhappy noise of protest but to Iruka's surprise he kept slumbering away._ _

__“Are you kidding me?” Iruka complained. “Wake up!”_ _

__Kakashi was wrapped so tightly around him now that Iruka suspected not even a paper bomb would be able to dislodge him._ _

__“Oh for –” Iruka's eyes narrowed. He would have pushed the other man out, if he wasn't a leery of accidentally triggering Kakashi's self-defense instincts. Yes, Kakashi had been the one to crawl into Iruka's bedroll, but considering how ticked off Iruka was feeling at the moment his bad temper had to be radiating an angry aura that could be mistaken for killing – or at least maiming – intent by the sleeping jonin._ _

__And Iruka did _not_ want to explain to the Hokage how in the world he managed to get injured or worse by his squad leader. Well, if he ended up dead Iruka wouldn't have to worry about explaining anything, but accidentally dying at the hands of a comrade was not how Iruka envisioned his death (although it was better than the occasional certainty he felt that he would die due to the bad aim of clumsy student, probably during kunai practice). Anyway, from what he knew of Kakashi, Iruka didn't want to end up as another one of the ghosts which haunted him._ _

__He had only one idea. Iruka hoped it would work. He inhaled slowly to gather his courage, then dropped his head until his mouth was close to Kakashi's visible ear. “The squirrels are attacking!” He yelled in his best panicking voice._ _

__Kakashi jumped straight in the air like a scalded cat._ _

__At once, Iruka slid away, impressed despite himself at the way that Kakashi pulled up his mask (too quickly for Iruka to see his face), twisted in mid-air to land on crouched feet with a kunai in his right hand even before he finished waking up, blinking his single visible eye in confusion._ _

__“What?” Kakashi asked, his voice harsh with sleep._ _

__“Never-mind, false alarm,” Iruka said brightly, as he crawled into Kakashi's empty chilled bedroll. “Go back to sleep.”_ _

__Kakashi made a confused noise, but Iruka was already hiding his grin into the crook his elbow as he used his arm as a pillow, falling easily back to sleep._ _

__*-*-*-*_ _

__“I see what you meant about our captain,” Iruka said with a low voice as he ran from tree branch to tree branch alongside Izumo. Kakashi and Kotetsu were ahead of them._ _

__Izumo snorted, “And you didn't believe me when I said he was a terror to share a tent with. He's such a blanket thief.”_ _

__Iruka blinked. “A blanket thief... that's it?”_ _

__“What do you mean that's it? I had to resort to using my back-up blanket and he stole that too!” Izumo hissed, indignant. “Do you have any idea how cold I got throughout the night? And it's not like I could steal them back. Every time I tried I nearly got a kunai to my face.”_ _

__Iruka opened his mouth to ask about whether or not Kakashi had sneaked into Izumo's bedroll but thought better of it at the last second. He suspected the answer would have been a resounding 'no' and the last thing Iruka felt like explaining was why he was asking that in the first place. He liked Izumo, having known him since their Academy student days, but he didn't trust him not to gossip when they got back to Konohagakure. For one thing, there was no way he wouldn't tell Kotetsu._ _

__Instead, Iruka said, keeping his tone diplomatic, “He does seem to feel the cold more deeply than the rest of us.”_ _

__Izumo growled so loudly it rattled the snow off the branches of the passing trees._ _

__*-*-*-*_ _

__The thing was Iruka would have been willing to dismiss the incident and never talk about it to another soul except..._ _

__It happened again. Not in the following night. Kakashi had given orders for Iruka and Kotetsu to be partnered for the guard shift (as they did have rather compatible fighting styles), so Izumo had to share a tent with Kakashi. But the night after that, Izumo all but begged Iruka to go back to sharing his shift with their squad leader. Considering that Izumo also offered to take over any three days of his choosing at the Mission Desk, Iruka agreed, well, only if Izumo bumped his offer up to five days._ _

__The speed at which his teammate had agreed had left Iruka wishing he'd asked for an entire week's worth of coverage._ _

__Still, that agreement was the reason as to how once again Iruka ended up blinking his eyes open in bafflement as he realized that he was being used as a body pillow by Kakashi. And, to add insult to injury, Kakashi's fingers felt like ice cubes even through Iruka's uniform and armor._ _

__Iruka sighed in irritation as he considered the entire situation, trying to decide if he could pull off the same trick twice when Kakashi suddenly shivered from the cold. This made Iruka notice how the blankets had slipped down his back. Before Iruka could move to readjust them Kakashi all but tried to burrow his way into Iruka's clothes to escape the cool air._ _

__Iruka muffled a yelp of surprise as two chilly hands dug under his shirt, sliding up his chest and burying themselves under his armpits finding the vulnerabilities in the mesh armor. He hissed out a curse as two ice blocks for feet then pressed themselves against the back of Iruka's lower legs. That he could feel how cold Kakashi's feet were even through his uniform pants was impressive. Then and there, Iruka decided he was gifting Kakashi with the thickest pair of socks he could find, even if he had to ask one of the grannies from his neighborhood knit them for him._ _

__Iruka braced himself to escape and paused as a thought struck him. Kakashi wasn't doing anything perverted – which in retrospect was a surprise – he was just using Iruka as a source of heat. He could try to get away again but if Kakashi was feeling so cold that he had to seek the nearest source of warmth... it would take someone more heartless than Iruka knew to be to force the man back to his own bedroll. And well..., octopus-like ice imitating appendages aside, Iruka wasn't exactly uncomfortable with Kakashi sharing a bed with him._ _

___That_ was something Iruka hadn't expected._ _

__Bemused, Iruka stared up at the tent's roof, ignoring the way a chilly nose was now pressed against the junction of his neck and right shoulder._ _

__It was nice... friendly, almost as if the other man enjoyed his company. Since Naruto had left with Jiraiya, it felt like Kakashi was going out of his way to irritate him or mock him or just make Iruka lose his temper. A feat which admittedly wasn't that hard to do, but Iruka would much rather save his bellows of anger for the Academy students, at least with them Iruka could catch them and give them a good thump on the head for being pests. Something which was much harder to do to a jonin no matter how much he deserved it (over the past few months Iruka grown to really understand why the Godaime kept calling Kakashi a brat)._ _

__Iruka sighed softly, made up his mind that it wasn't really worth the hassle of waking up the captain and closed his eyes to fall back to sleep._ _

__*-*-*-*_ _

__Iruka fully expected to have to deal with Kakashi's teasing for letting him share his bedroll, but the jonin didn't say a word. In fact, he acted like nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened even disappearing from the tent before Iruka woke up again. In fact the other man seemed to be keeping a distance from him. Iruka didn't know what to make of this behavior as he expected a completely different reaction from Kakashi._ _

__It wasn't until the squad was crossing the border between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Fire that the realization struck Iruka as to _why_ Kakashi was avoiding him. _ _

__He was _embarrassed.__ _

__Kakashi must have sleepwalked into Iruka's bedroll and, considering it was something he never intended to do, now he had no idea how to react to Iruka._ _

__So, it turned out Iruka had something on the jonin instead of the other way around. The thought of having ammunition next time Kakashi was being annoying made Iruka smile to himself and tugged at his mischievous side._ _

__*-*-*-*_ _

__They made it back to Konohagakure faster than they'd initially planned. Kakashi pushed the squad to rush back, barely giving them a chance to rest. Izumo, Kotetsu and Iruka didn't question the orders (not that it stopped Izumo from complaining under his breath), although Iruka secretly wondered if Kakashi just wanted to get back the village in order get away from him. After all, if the village was facing an emergency then Kakashi would have _told_ them to prepare them._ _

__Still as tired as he was by the time they passed the main gates, Iruka was glad to be home so quickly. It felt like a storm had been chasing the squad from the Land of Frost, and it had arrived at Konohagakure as massive thunderstorm. The thunder and lightning at their heels had certainly pushed Iruka to move even faster. The squad arrived home just in time to have a torrential downpour begin._ _

__“Go home,” Kakashi said, as the rain pounded on their heads. “I'll take the mission report to the Hokage.”_ _

__“You got it, captain! Thanks,” Kotetsu said, calling behind him as his best friend dragged him away. Izumo barely gave Kakashi a nod of acknowledgment before they were both out of sight._ _

__Iruka studied Kakashi's profile for a moment, but the other man just ambled along, not even glancing over to him. Iruka was secretly amused at his air of nonchalance even as the rain plastered Kakashi's hair against his skull._ _

__“Get dry soon, Kakashi-sensei. I wouldn't want you to get too cold,” Iruka said, gathering chakra to his legs to travel by rooftop (it was really his favorite method of getting around the village, although he'd have to stay lower than usual to avoid getting hit by lightning). And because Iruka couldn't resist being the one to tease the other man for once, he added, “I won't be around to warm you up this time.” Then Iruka jumped to up, noting that Kakashi had frozen in shock below._ _

__All the way home, Iruka grinned so widely that his cheeks ached. His amusement lingered even by the time he was crawling into bed, feeling warm and dry for the first time in what felt like ages._ _

__*-*-*-*_ _

__The thunderstorm lingered over the Konoha, slowing down to patter of rain in the daytime before becoming a torrent again at night. The chilling wind whipped up by the storm, the occasional fall of hail, and the fact that three shinobi nearly got fried by lightning, led to the Hokage giving orders for everyone to stay indoors as much as possible, unless she gave orders which said otherwise or because duty demanded certain posts be maintained to assure village security._ _

__Tsunade told them that any idiot who got sick because they didn't listen would be left to suffer without any help from a medical-nin. _And_ they'd have to deal with getting yelled at by her, which was a more terrifying prospect, in Iruka's opinion._ _

__But Iruka enjoyed the rain anyway, from the safety of being inside. Although dealing with antsy students who were going stir crazy from kept indoors was definitely a drawback. Making them run up and down the halls of the Academy didn't exhaust them the same way, especially since he had to make them run as stealthy as possible to keep them from distracting the other classes. Not that his students were very quiet at all. Iruka would really have to his class practice more stealth drills when the storm broke._ _

__Still, there was nothing better than hearing the howl of thunderstorm while curled up in bed, knowing that he was safe and warm at home and with a cup of tea steaming away within arm's reach._ _

__So the knock at Iruka's window startled him more than a little._ _

__Iruka wiped away at the tea which had spilled onto his shirt, even as he pulled out a kunai and a weapons scroll from under his pillow. He stretched his senses, wondering who could be at his windows. All his friends knew to use the front door like civilized human beings. He frowned, as he noted that whoever was at his window was familiar, yet their chakra signature was too muted for him to be certain as to their identity._ _

__He threw back the curtains just as lightning struck nearby. Iruka blinked the spots from his eyes. When the spots cleared Iruka nearly jumped again at the drenched sight of Kakashi Hatake. He looked awful and much paler than normal. Not only was he completely soaked, there was a dark circle under his visible eye and a faint trembling throughout his body._ _

__Iruka was tempted to close the curtain again but pity proved stronger than his irritation. He sighed and canceled the barrier seal he'd set into the walls, lowering the defenses around the window before he finally slid it open._ _

__Kakashi didn't move in like Iruka expected._ _

__“Why are you here, Kakashi-sensei? Its not a mission, it it?” Iruka asked, frowning absently. No, he would have been summoned by Lady Tsunade if it was a mission. His eyes widened as a thought struck him. Panicked, he asked, “Is is Naruto? Is he okay?”_ _

__“No, no, nothing like that,” Kakashi said at once. He glanced away and muttered, “I'm cold.”_ _

__Confused, Iruka stared at him. Why in the world would Kakashi be here? He should just head home or--_ _

__Iruka's eyes widened. Between one heartbeat and the next, it felt like the entire world shifted on its axis. Suddenly, the months of Kakashi's obnoxious behavior became something different. Numbly Iruka couldn't help but absently wonder as to how an elite shinobi of Kakashi's reputation could have the _same_ level of flirting skills as some of his own class of pre-genin... the most immature ones._ _

__Iruka found his tongue and said, “Then... you better come in.”_ _

__Silently, Kakashi slipped in, closing the window behind him. Iruka considered the puddle of water growing swiftly under Kakashi's sandals._ _

__“Wait here, I'll get you a towel.” He got Kakashi a mug of his herbal tea too while he was at it._ _

__“Do you have a spare uniform in your supply scroll or should I be digging out a clean pair for you?” Iruka asked, as he handed the towel to the other man._ _

__“That'll depend on you,” Kakashi said, toweling his hair dry. “If I'm going out in that again then there'll be no point.” He peeked hopefully at Iruka through folds of the towel. Iruka got the distinct impression that Kakashi wished to hide completely behind it. There was still a faint trembling in his fingers, so Iruka snatched the wet towel away and pushed a mug of hot tea into Kakashi's hands to warm them up._ _

__Iruka glanced away so that the jonin could drop his mask and drink it. He didn't look back until Kakashi said, “Thank you.”_ _

__He found the jonin staring down at the mug. Iruka scratched at the scar at his nose, making up his mind. “Well, come on then.”_ _

__Kakashi looked up._ _

__“But you really will need to change out of that uniform if you're joining me in bed,” Iruka said._ _

__The faint flush of pink which spread upwards from the mask to Kakashi's visible cheek, made Iruka's own blush worth it._ _

__*-*-*-*_ _

__It was strange, very strange to be awake for once to watch Kakashi climb into his bed._ _

__The man maintained a polite distance which surprised Iruka, as he fully expected Kakashi to act like an octopus all over again. He mentally shrugged and settled in to try to sleep._ _

__Well, he tried... until the faint trembling Iruka could feel from Kakashi's side made his patience snap._ _

__Iruka reached over, wrapping his arm around Kakashi's waist and pulling him flush against his body._ _

__“...Iruka.”_ _

__“You're here for me to warm you up, right? I can't do that while you're all the way over there,” Iruka muttered, keeping his eyes firmly close. “Now sleep.”_ _

__Even without seeing it Iruka could sense Kakashi's smile._ _

__Tomorrow, they could actually discuss whatever was going on between them._ _

__Although, Iruka was definitely going to have to talk to the other man about wearing socks on his ice-cube feet in he planned on sharing Iruka's bed again. There were just some torments which made even experienced shinobi reach their limit, and this was Iruka's._ _

__Thick, woolen socks._ _

__End_ _

**Author's Note:**

> *sighs happily* An oblivious character is so one of my favorite things.


End file.
